Chefs on Wheels

During the COVID lockdown, restaurants were closed. Three of the best chefs in Adelaide created Chefs on Wheels. 

As the weight of lockdown 2.0 bears heavy on South Australia’s hospitality and tourism sectors, three chefs — Emma McCaskill (ex-Sparkke at the Whitmore), Paul Baker (ex-Botanic Gardens Restaurant) and Brad Sappenburghs (Comida) — want to bring their restaurants to you… And try to save their staff.

Launched in March to much applause, after the first wave of COVID-19 restrictions were implemented in the state, McCaskill and Baker have joined Sappenburghs for another round of their fancy meals on wheels.
It’s a meal delivery service, first and foremost, for people who may not be able to leave their house to access the supermarket and essential services that are open during lockdown. But, with what was once a self-assured industry in tatters, Chefs on Wheels (COW) is a means of keeping casual workers employed during the pandemic.
Pumping out ready meals means the chefs are able to keep some staff employed and, crucially, doing something, while the rest of the state is at a standstill. This year’s pandemic has shone a bright light on the precarious nature of casual work in Australia — a means to financial stability for hundreds of thousands of workers across the country.
The concept works much like many other larger meal delivery service does, the only twist is COW’s meals don’t require any assembly. You also won’t find any gloopy, industrial sauces, sad mushy pasta or frozen mixed veg here either. Aside from wine delivery, what more could you want than an actual chef-cooked meal delivered to your door, ready to pop in the oven.
The menu comprises dishes from each chef’s own home-rotation as well as restaurant faves. Everything’s conveniently listed by cuisine or chef so you can select something you fancy, or someone you fancy cooking for you. There are also bundles for nights when you’re feeling really flush, like “Paul’s Italian night” with enough sausage lasagne, garlic bread and tiramisu to feed four or five hungry people.

Chefs and restauranteurs have an unwavering dedication their craft, working tirelessly to bring us incredible food experiences day-in, day-out. The hospitality industry is truly a labour of love - it’s a tough job for staff, and even more challenging for owners who have poured their heart and soul into their establishments and rely on them for their livelihoods.

Adelaide’s restaurants are suddenly becoming empty, which is the stuff of nightmares for many of these small business owners for whom things are already tight. As diners’ concerns over public health grow, our establishments are still open but many people feel unsafe or are not be able to visit as they normally would.

It’s critical that we support our food industry in any way we can during these challenging times and if we don’t act now, many of the restaurants we know and love won’t survive the next few months. The best solution is to keep them doing what they do best, and make sure they receive our support to keep everyone in the hospitality industry employed!

Chefs on Wheels features a growing collection of dishes from Adelaide’s favourite restaurants, chefs and food brands delivered directly to your home by staff that would normally be proudly serving you or working hard to manufacture your favourite products. If Adelaide’s chefs can’t feed you in their restaurants, let them feed you in your home!

These are definitely some crazy, uncertain times, but we feel passionate about connecting diners to their favourite restaurants and food businesses. We believe nothing should stop you enjoying food you love while still supporting your favourite Adelaide chefs and establishments!

▪ A multi-cultural collection of ready-made meals to heat and enjoy

▪ Specialised dishes prepared by some of Adelaide’s favourite chefs

▪ Family-friendly alternative to expensive and less ethical take away and delivery options

▪ Delivered fresh and refrigerated by staff of the businesses you are supporting

It was a takeout food business offering restaurant quality food at reasonable prices. 

This is our second go at it. Once again we can only say "best value on the planet." 

The food is delivered by refrigerated truck to your door. Each of these trays is 4.4 pounds. $35AUD (less than $28USD) a tray seems high until you are on your fourth or FIFTH meal and realize you are dining on restaurant quality (extremely good restaurants) food for under $9 per dinner serving. At these prices and at this quality, it does not pay to cook. It also costs a lot more to go to their restaurants and dine, like 10 times more.

The green chicken curry was good but not quite as good as last delivery. Taste was recovered with the addition of our atrium-grown chili. On the other hand, the hand-rolled ricotta gnudi in a Wagyu Bolognese was our best Bolognese dish EVER.

 This is Carol's plated hand rolled ricotta gnodi with Wagyu bolognaise.

CJ's Thai green curry came with 4 free roti, delicious and gorgeous when pan fried.